DARLING REPEATS AS SEEKONK PRO STOCK MID-SEASON CHAMP
SEEKONK

  For the second consecutive season, Seekonk , MA’s David Darling came away with top honors in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock 50-lap Cumberland Farms-Providence Journal Mid-Season Championship feature presented by St. Angelo Buick-Pontiac-GMC at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday night, August 28.

One hundred thirty race teams packed the 1/3-mile oval’s pit area to compete in sixteen qualifiers and eight feature events on Craftsman Tools Night.  Darling won his qualifier in the Johnson Landscaping-Almeida Construction #52 Dodge and started eighth in the 25-car field.  Two-time track champion Len Ellis, Jr. started on the pole and led the first 15 laps with Les Rose, Jr. holding on to second.  Darling took fifth on lap 8, and had advanced to third by the time the first yellow waved for a Tom Scully, Jr. spin on lap 15.

[Full Story] [Victory Lane Photo Gallery]

NASCAR DWS – N.E. REGION NEWS & NOTES
NASCAR DWS

  Ricky Wolf Jr. is having a career season at New Hampshire ’s Lee USA Speedway. Wolf, who competes in the track’s Late Model division, is leading the track point standings and running a close second to none other than two-time NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series regional champion Ted Christopher in the battle for this year’s New England Region title.

Wolf, of Northwood, N.H. , knows that beating Christopher is a long shot, but is enjoying every moment of the 2004 racing season.

[Full Story]

SEEKONK SPEEDWAY SUCCUMBS TO RAIN
SEEKONK

  For the fourth time this season, a forecast of heavy rain caused a complete cancellation of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series program at Seekonk Speedway for Saturday evening, August 21.  Although showers had interrupted scheduled events at Seekonk the previous two Saturday nights, this was the first complete rain out since July 24.  The Northeastern Midget Association, scheduled to make their first appearance at the 59-year old facility in three years, will compete in the season-ending DAV Memorial Festival of Racing the weekend of October 2-3.  No decision has been made yet regarding a possible rescheduling of Saturday’s appearance.

Action resumes at the 1/3-mile Route 6 oval on Saturday, August 28, with a special 50-lap main event for the top tier Pro Stock class.  The Cumberland Farms-Providence Journal Mid-Season Championship Presented by St. Angelo Buick-Pontiac-GMC carries a purse of $10,100 with $1,800 going to the feature winner.  Twenty-five cars will qualify for the race.  Rain date for the event is September 11.  The Craftsman Night program will also feature qualifying and feature events for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Late Models, Sport Trucks and Street Stocks and the Seekonk Youth Racing Association.

[Full Story]

NASCAR DWS – REGIONAL RUNDOWN
NASCAR DWS

  The NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series season is winding to a conclusion at 65 participating race tracks in the U.S. and Canada . Just five weeks remain until the final night of NASCAR points competition (Sept. 19) and the race for the championship is on.

The top prize, for nearly 1,600 NASCAR weekly short track competitors, are NASCAR’s regional championships, which award up to $45,000 to eight winning drivers along with a chance at the overall series title and a $125,000 bonus.

[Full Story]

NEMA’S MIGHTY MIDGETS RETURN TO SEEKONK AUGUST 21ST
SEEKONK

  The Northeastern Midget Association makes their return to Seekonk on Saturday 8/21 after a rain-induced hiatus of three years. The Cement Palace and the mighty midgets share a storied history that goes all the way back to the glory days of local short track racing. The then-quarter mile oval hosted nothing but Midgets on the weekly racing program from 1946 through 1948. NEMA, the sanctioning body for the touring open wheel stars, held its first ever event at Seekonk on Memorial Day weekend in 1953. Saturday’s race at the Route 6 oval will be the 58th NEMA sanctioned event at the track.

“NEMA has become a series with very traditional stops- race tracks with lots of history, like Star Speedway in New Hampshire, Waterford, Seekonk and Oswego are examples of classic northeastern speedways,” explains NEMA media coordinator Pete Zanardi. Today, the cars sport wings atop the roll cages for added speed and agility, and are safer than ever before.

ROB MURRAY, STEVE FISHER STAR AT SEEKONK
SEEKONK

  One week after posting his long-sought first career Pro Stock win, Rob Murray found himself back in Victory Lane at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday night, August 14.  The popular second generation racer from Tiverton, RI triumphed in a rain-shortened NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock feature at the 1/3-mile Route 6 oval.

Shelburne, VT's Steve Fisher regained the lead from Jean-Paul Cyr on the final lap of the American-Canadian Tour's New England Dodge Dealers 100 to earn his first career victory.  Polesitter Dan Colby led the first 11 laps before Mark Lamberton muscled ahead on the inside.  The fourth of 11 cautions waved on lap 17 for a minor spin, with Lamberton leading Jamie Fisher, Tom Fearn, Steve Fisher, and Colby.

ROB MURRAY EARNS FIRST SEEKONK PRO STOCK WIN
SEEKONK

  Tiverton, RI’s Rob Murray withstood a half-dozen caution flags to post his first career victory in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock division at Seekonk Speedway Saturday night.  The 31-year old second generation racer also had to wait through a 55-minute rain delay which halted the evening’s program with 10 of 14 qualifying events in the books.

Murray started eighth in the 25-car feature event in the Quality Island Construction-Affordable Kitchens #08 Chevrolet, and was able to avoid several accidents that marred the first third of the 35-lap race.  Rookie Brian Clarke led the first circuit until fellow first-year pilot Tom Scully, Jr. took over.  The most serious incident of the race took place on the second lap when Clarke got turned around in turn three.  Several cars tangled trying to avoid Clarke, including veteran Matt Dewey whose Dodge was sent nose-first into the concrete retaining wall.

[Full Story]

ACTION-PACKED AUGUST SCHEDULED AT SEEKONK SPEEDWAY
SEEKONK

  An action-packed month of excitement is guaranteed to keep fans on their edge of their seats at the 1/3-mile NASCAR-sanctioned Seekonk Speedway oval this August.  The Route 6 Bay State facility will kick things off with another Dynamic Doubleheader Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, August 7-8.  Saturday's annual Scout Night program will feature a full evening of qualifying and feature events for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock, Late Model, Sport Truck and Street Stock divisions.  Also on tap are the Cumberland Farms-Providence Journal Mid-Season Championship races for the Seekonk Youth Racing Association.  The Journeymen and Apprentice divisions will turn 20 green flag laps each, while the Apprentice Rookie class will compete in a 10-lap feature.  Grandstand gates open at 4 PM with the first green flag waving at 6 PM.

On Sunday, the speedway will host the second Family Fun Show of the summer, beginning at 5 PM.  The ever-popular Spectator Drags, Enduro Drags, Enduro Races, Figure 8 Racing, and special Monster Truck event will comprise the card, with gates opening at 3 PM.  Tickets are $17 for adults and $5 for all children 12 and under.

[Full Story]

HOSSFELD, ELLIS LEAD LIST OF SEEKONK WINNERS
NASCAR FMS

ACTION-PACKED AUGUST SCHEDULED AT SEEKONK SPEEDWAY
SEEKONK

  An action-packed month of excitement is guaranteed to keep fans on their edge of their seats at the 1/3-mile NASCAR-sanctioned Seekonk Speedway oval this August.  The Route 6 Bay State facility will kick things off with another Dynamic Doubleheader Weekend on Saturday and Sunday, August 7-8.  Saturday's annual Scout Night program will feature a full evening of qualifying and feature events for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock, Late Model, Sport Truck and Street Stock divisions.  Also on tap are the Cumberland Farms-Providence Journal Mid-Season Championship races for the Seekonk Youth Racing Association.  The Journeymen and Apprentice divisions will turn 20 green flag laps each, while the Apprentice Rookie class will compete in a 10-lap feature.  Grandstand gates open at 4 PM with the first green flag waving at 6 PM.

On Sunday, the speedway will host the second Family Fun Show of the summer, beginning at 5 PM.  The ever-popular Spectator Drags, Enduro Drags, Enduro Races, Figure 8 Racing, and special Monster Truck event will comprise the card, with gates opening at 3 PM.  Tickets are $17 for adults and $5 for all children 12 and under.

[Full Story]

HOSSFELD, ELLIS LEAD LIST OF SEEKONK WINNERS
NASCAR FMS

NASCAR FMS REACHES HALFWAY POINT OF THE SEASON
NASCAR FMS

  The NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series 2004 season has been given the “crossed flags” signal as the halfway point has been reached. The teams of NASCAR’s only open wheeled series will travel to Seekonk Speedway in Seekonk, Mass. for the Coca-Cola 150 on Saturday, July 31 to kick off the second half of the season. It will be the only Bay State appearance in 2004 for the series.

Eddie Flemke of Southington, Conn. leads the point standings after 10 of 19 races. Flemke, who drives the Roger Hill owned Ron Bouchard Auto Stores Pontiac,  has lead the standings since the series second race at Stafford Springs, Conn. in April. He currently holds a 42 point advantage (1546-1502) over Tony Hirschman of Northampton, Pa. Flemke scored his only win at Waterford, Conn. in May. He has never won the series championship.

[Full Story] [Coca-Cola 150 Notes]

NASCAR DWS - N.E. REGION NEWS & NOTES
NASCAR DWS

  After 10 weeks of competition, the second half of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series season is beginning to unfold at tracks throughout the region. Several drivers find themselves in contention for the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series New England Region championship, which is determined by the NASCAR Competition Performance Index (CPI). Ted Christopher, of Plainville, Conn., tops this list after recording six wins and eight top-five finishes at Connecticut ’s Stafford Motor Speedway.

When entered in to NASCAR’s CPI formula – which tracks wins, top-five finishes, starts and other factors – Christopher’s results establish a CPI rating of .7758. His closest regional rival, Jeff Strunk of Bethel, Pa., has four wins and 11 top-five finishes at Grandview Speedway in Bechtelsville , Pa. Strunk’s CPI is .7344.

[Full Story]

SEEKONK SPEEDWAY ALL WET AGAIN
SEEKONK

OPENING DAY MAKEUP SLATED FOR FMS NIGHT AT SEEKONK

SEEKONK

  On July 31, the program for the four NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions and twin Seekonk Youth Racing Association classes at Seekonk Speedway will be a continuation of the May 2 Opening Day show which was interrupted by rain.  Pro Stock division qualifying heats and any necessary consolation rounds will take place following the completion of Featherlite Modified Series time trials.  (SYRA, Sport Truck, Street Stock, and Late Model heats were completed on May 2.)  Feature races for all divisions will be held in conjunction with the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series Coca-Cola 150.

[Full Story]

SPENCER DOMINATES FOR SECOND SEEKONK PRO STOCK WIN
SEEKONK

  For the second time this season, 2003 Rookie of the Year Kenny Spencer of Taunton, MA copped top honors in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series 35-lap Pro Stock feature at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday night, July 17.  Spencer’s R&F Transportation-Lawrence Air Chevrolet started third in the 24-car main and took second behind polesitter Lenny Ellis, Jr. on the very first go-around.  The 39-year old former Late Model division champion capitalized on a lap 3 restart, blasting past Ellis to take over the lead.

During the 27-lap green flag run that followed, Spencer simply checked out on the field, opening up a straightaway lead over his closest challengers.  Tom Scully, Sr. and Todd Annarummo had secured second and third by lap 7, followed by Charlie Rose, Jr., Dean Pettey, Vinnie Annarummo, and Rob Murray.  Further back, Ray Parent, Ellis, Jimmy Rosenfield, Wayne Dion, and David Darling were engaged in a tight battle for positions eight through twelve.  At the halfway point, the top seven remained unchanged, with Parent, Rosenfield, and Darling comprising the remainder of the top ten.

[Full Story]

NASCAR DWS – N.E. REGION NEWS & NOTES
NASCAR DWS

  While the battle for this year’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series New England Region championship rages on, the race for the Grandview Speedway track title is heating up as well. Grandview, the lone dirt track among NASCAR’s New England Region tracks, is located in Bechtelsville, Pa. and a trio of area drivers is doing all they can to keep their track points race wide open.

Three-time track champion Jeff Strunk, of Bethel, Pa., has come on strong after a slow start to his season, and now leads the track standings after four wins and 10 top-five finishes. Next up is five-time track titlist Craig Von Dohren, of Oley, Pa., and in third place is veteran driver Meme DeSantis, who has recorded two wins in 2004. The three drivers are separated by just 75 points in the track standings.

[Full Story]

HUTCHINS COMPLETES LONG ROAD BACK TO SEEKONK'S VICTORY LANE
SEEKONK

  Somerset , MA’s Dave Hutchins led the list of winners in NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series action at the 1/3-mile Seekonk Speedway oval on Saturday night, July 10, scoring his first win of the season in the 35-lap Pro Stock feature.  Rookie sensation Mike Brightman of Acushnet, MA prevailed for the third time this year in the 30-lap Late Model Providence Journal-Cumberland Farms Mid-Season Championship feature, while Fall River, MA’s Lee Hayes copped his third Sport Truck win of the campaign.  Twenty year-old third-generation driver Rey Lovelace of North Providence, RI won his first career race in the action-packed 20-lap Street Stock feature.  The 59-year old NASCAR-sanctioned Bay State facility welcomed 125 race cars and trucks for 13 qualifiers and 7 feature events, which were run in just over three hours.

The Pro Stock race was a marathon affair, with no less than ten caution flags slowing the action.  When the checkered flag waved, only 13 of the 26 starters remained in competition.  Polesitter Lenny Ellis, Jr. led the first six laps, which were slowed by four yellows.  Kenny Spencer, Les Rose, Jr., Charlie Rose, and Dave Poirier were all involved in various early incidents, during which time Hutchins was able to advance from fourth to second.

[Full Story]

NASCAR DWS - N.E. REGION NEWS & NOTES
NASCAR DWS

  Once you’ve reached the top of your game, it can be just as hard to get back there. For NASCAR Modified driver Ted Christopher, his racing career reached an all-time high in 2001, when he won the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series championship. The title, which netted Christopher $160,000 in post-season prize money that year, also coincided with his second consecutive NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series New England Region title.

Christopher, of Plainville , Conn. , has moved on to full-time competition in the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series but he’s also kept up a dizzying schedule of weekly racing at Stafford Motor Speedway in Stafford Springs , Conn. and Thompson ( Conn. ) International Speedway. At this rate, Christopher will compete in nearly 90 events before the end of the season and could contend for yet another regional crown.

[Full Story]

DARLING NOTCHES THIRD SEEKONK PRO STOCK WIN

SEEKONK

  On the first night of a Dynamic Doubleheader weekend at Seekonk Speedway, 133 race cars and trucks took to the 1/3-mile Route 6 oval on Saturday, July 3.  The fourteen qualifiers and six feature events scheduled were completed in three and a-half hours.  Rehoboth, MA’s David Darling led the parade of USG Night winners, wheeling his Johnson Landscaping #52 Dodge to Victory Lane for the third time this season in the 35-lap Pro Stock feature.

Polesitter Lenny Ellis, Jr. led the first 14 laps while Darling weaved his way from fifth to second.  On the 15^th go-around, Darling took to the high side and blasted into the front, withstanding eight cautions on his way to victory.  At the halfway point, Kenny Spencer was second, followed by rookie Brian Clarke, Ray Parent, Dean Pettey, Vinnie Annarummo, who had climbed from 19^th to sixth, and previous event winner Charlie Rose, Jr.

[Full Story]

SEEKONK SLATES CUMBERLAND FARMS MID-SEASON CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

SEEKONK

  The NASCAR-sanctioned Seekonk Speedway and Cumberland Farms have joined forced for the third straight season to host the Cumberland Farms Mid-Season Championship Series at the 1/3-mile Bay State oval.

On five Saturday nights this summer, the Action Track of the East will host extra distance-extra excitement feature events for the four NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions and twin Seekonk Youth Racing Association classes.  The action begins this Saturday, July 3, on USG Night, with a 25-lap main event for the competitive Street Stock division.

[Full Story]

RACE FOR SIGHT AT SEEKONK ON JULY 17TH

SEEKONK

  The Seekonk Lions Club and the Seekonk Hearthstone Lions Club present the Race for Sight at the Seekonk Speedway on Saturday, July 17, 2004.  This event is sponsored by Carpionato Properties of Johnston, Rhode Island in association with LOWE’S home improvement warehouse and the Seekonk Speedway and will benefit the Massachusetts Lions Eye Research Fund; a world leader in research designed to prevent and cure blindness.  A full night of racing will be presented with a 50-lap feature of Pro-4 Modifieds.  There will also be a NASCAR simulator available where, for a donation to eye research, you can experience the thrill of driving a race car.  Twenty five percent of all tickets sold by Lions before race day will be donated to eye research by Francis Venditti of the Seekonk Speedway.  These tickets, $12 for adults and $4 for children, can be bought from Lion Chris Gasparro at Gasparro’s Fine Wine and Spirits, Route 6, Seekonk and Lion John Arruda at Popular Pizza in the Briarwood Plaza, Seekonk.

[Full Story]

RAIN KO’S CRAFTSMAN NIGHT AT SEEKONK

SEEKONK

  Craftsman Night proved a washout for fans and competitors at Seekonk Speedway on Saturday night, June 26.  With rain showers falling and more rain in the forecast, general manager Francis Venditti canceled the evening’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series program approximately one-half hour before the first green flag of the night was scheduled to wave.  Over 150 race teams, including the visiting All-Star Race Trucks series were in attendance and had practiced at the NASCAR-sanctioned Bay State facility before things got wet.  An announcement regarding rain checks for pit admission tickets will be forthcoming from the speedway this week.

Action continues at the 1/3-mile Route 6 oval next Saturday and Sunday, July 3 and 4, with Seekonk’s traditional Independence Day Dynamic Doubleheader weekend.  The action begins on Saturday with racing in the four NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions and twin SYRA classes.  The USG Night show will also include the 25-lap Cumberland Farms Mid-Season Championship event for the Street Stock division.

[Full Story] [Rain halts ARTS Northeast at Seekonk]

CHARLIE ROSE BREAKS INTO VICTORY LANE AT SEEKONK

SEEKONK

  A total of 135 race teams and trucks packed the Seekonk Speedway pit area on 3M Night, Saturday, June 19, at the 1/3-mile Route 6 oval.  The four-hour race program ended on a high note for Tiverton , RI ’s Charlie Rose, Jr., who scored his first career Seekonk win in the 35-lap NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock feature.

Contact between Billy Manchester and Billy Flint coming off turn four on the very first lap set off a chain reaction crash that involved 10 of the 24 starters.  Six were eliminated in the wreck including previous event winner David Darling.  Two-time track champ Lenny Ellis, Jr. led from the pole in the early going while Rose moved from his seventh starting berth to third.

[Full Story] 

NASCAR DWS - N.E. REGION NEWS & NOTES  
SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND

  Last season, Kerry Malone won the Stafford Motor Speedway track championship and finished 10^th in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series New England Region standings, without winning a single race. Week after week, the historic half-mile track features a full field of some of the toughest SK Modified ® competitors in the region. It’s clear that winning races at Stafford’s half-mile is indeed an accomplishment for any driver and proof of that was evident in Malone’s 2003 season results – even the track champion had difficulty reaching the winner’s circle.

Ted Christopher, however, is showing that he’s up to the challenge. Christopher, the 2001 NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series national champion from Plainville , Conn. , has already recorded three wins at Stafford and sits atop the track point standings. His performance is also good enough to land him in third place in this week’s New England Region rankings.

[Full Story]

SANTERRE CLAIMS BNS BUD 150, SPENCER PRO STOCK HONORS AT SEEKONK
SEEKONK

  
  Before HDNet’s live television cameras, twenty-three NASCAR Busch North Series machines took to Seekonk Speedway’s 1/3-mile oval for the annual Budweiser 150 at Seekonk Speedway Saturday night. When the dust settled, two-time defending series champion Andy Santerre of Cherryfield, ME sat in Victory Lane for the 18^th time in his NASCAR Busch North Series career. 

Hudson, NH’s Dave Dion wheeled his Berlin City/Continental Paving Ford to his 21^st career Busch Pole in qualifying, with a lap of 13.012 seconds, 91.300 MPH.  Dion finished four one-hundredths of a second ahead of Mike Olsen, who holds the track qualifying record with a lap of 12.713 seconds, set in 2002.

[Full Story] [Mike Olsen PR] [Matt Kobyluck PR] 
[Joey McCarthy PR] [Bill Penfold PR]
[Kip Stockwell PR] [Dale Quarterley PR] 
[Mike Stefanik PR] [Andy Santerre PR]

BNS GETS BACK INTO THE SHORT TRACK GROOVE AT SEEKONK
NASCAR BNS

  And now for something completely different.

The NASCAR Grand National Division, Busch North Series has spent its last two races living in the fast lane at Thompson International Speedway and Lime Rock Park, a pair of racing venues very different from each other but both with lap speeds over the 100 mile per hour mark. On Saturday, June 12, the accent will return to short track racing in the Budweiser 150 at Seekonk Speedway, a circular one-third mile track where door-to-door racing is the norm and the only pit strategy is to stay as far away from the pits as possible.

[Full Story] [News & Notes]

ANNARUMMO PREVAILS IN CONTROVERSIAL SEEKONK FINISH  
SEEKONK

  With rain in the forecast for Saturday, Seekonk Speedway management went ahead with their regularly scheduled NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series program and completed the entire evening’s events without a single raindrop in the air.  A controversial post-race penalty spelled victory for three-time Pro Stock champion Vinnie Annarummo of Swansea, MA, who was awarded the checkered flag after the completion of the division’s 35-lap NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series main event.

Polesitter Billy Manchester led the first lap before two-time track kingpin Len Ellis, Jr. nosed ahead on the outside.  Ellis held the top spot until Manchester ’s teammate, Dave Hutchins, powered past on a lap 5 restart.  Hutchins, who returned to action this spring for the first time since being injured in a 2000 racing accident, stayed in command for the next 20 circuits.  At the halfway point, Ellis was second, followed by Ray Parent, Tom Scully, Sr., Les Rose, Jr., two-time feature winner David Darling, who had climbed from 16^th,  Jeramee Lillie, Vinnie and Todd Annarummo, and Dean Pettey.

[Full Story] 

SEEKONK READIES FOR NATIONALLY TELEVISED NASCAR BNS RACE
SEEKONK

  For the first time in its 59-year history, Seekonk Speedway will welcome national television to the NASCAR-sanctioned 1/3-mile oval on Saturday night, June 12.  Track management is busy putting the final touches on the race program, highlighted by the live broadcast of the NASCAR Busch North Series Budweiser 150 on HDNet, beginning at 6:30 PM .  The race will also be shown on a tape-delayed basis on the SPEED channel on Saturday, June 26, at 12 Noon .

“We’re very excited about the opportunity to showcase our facility before a national audience,” speedway General Manager Francis Venditti stated.  “Rain got in the way of our planned broadcast last season.  So we’re certainly pleased to be able to welcome the cameras back this year for the NASCAR Busch North Series.”

[Full Story]

DARLING LEADS LIST OF WINNERS ON WILD NIGHT AT SEEKONK

SEEKONK

  On a wild evening at Seekonk Speedway, Rehoboth, MA's David Darling worked his way through the field twice to earn his second win of the season in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock division Saturday night.  A total of 162 race cars and trucks competed at the Route 6 Bay State oval in a marathon program that lasted five and a-half hours and included the touring Southern New England Modified Series.

Rob Mohan and Bill Flint battled for the lead early on in the top tier division's 35-lap feature with Flint eventually getting the nod.  Veteran Matt Dewey worked his way from tenth to second by lap five, avoiding four caution-producing incidents.  While racing for the lead on lap 11, Flint's Ford and Dewey's Dodge crashed in turn four, ensnaring NASCAR regional point leader Vinnie Annarummo, who had climbed from 17th to third.

[Full Story] 

[Pro Stock Results] [Late Model Results] 
[Street Stock Results]

RAIN POSTPONES SEEKONK ISMA SHOW AGAIN; MAKEUP DATE TBA

SEEKONK

  With rain in the forecast for Saturday evening, Seekonk Speedway management, mindful of the fact that many of the evening’s International Super Modified Association competitors were traveling from Canada and New Jersey, postponed the racing program scheduled for Saturday, May 22.  The early morning decision put a hold on the scheduled 75-lap Lucas Oil-Helping Hands America ISMA main.  The open wheel machines completed their qualifying races at Seekonk on May 2 before rain forced the remainder of the show to be tabled.

An announcement will be made soon regarding a makeup date for the event, which was also scheduled to include the track’s four NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions and the twin Local-51 sponsored Seekonk Youth Racing Association classes.  Admission tickets and wristbands from the rain-shortened Opening Day Celebration were slated to be honored on May 22.

[Full Story]

VENDITTI VICTORIOUS IN 2ND BID FOR SELECTMAN
SEEKONK

  Seekonk Speedway Manager Francis Venditti carried last night's special election for a selectman's seat, beating opponent Nathan Helgerson 913-821.

The election, to fill a slot of former selectman Chris Pelletier who resigned in March, seemed close as first results came in. But Venditti's lead grew with almost every precinct that reported results.

[Full Story] 

VINNIE ANNARUMMO GOES POLE TO CHECKER IN SEEKONK WIN
SEEKONK

  Three-time Pro Stock champion Vinnie Annarummo of Swansea, MA went pole to checker to earn his first win of the season Saturday night, May 15, in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock 35-lap main at Seekonk Speedway.  The popular 54-year old veteran won his qualifying race on the 1/3-mile Bay State oval and shot out in front of Rob Murray and Kenny Spencer when the green was displayed over the 23-car field.  Five minor cautions slowed the event, but did little to shake Annarummo’s advantage.

By the halfway point in the race, Vinnie’s son, Todd, had worked his way from seventh to third, running the outside groove alongside Spencer’s second place mount.  Murray was fourth, followed by Ray Parent and Wayne Dion, who were engaged in a great battle for fifth.  Jimmy Rosenfield, Dean Pettey, Bill Flint, and another father and son team, Tom Scully Sr. and Jr., comprised the remainder of the top ten.

[Full Story] 

DARLING LEADS OPENING NIGHT WINNERS AT SEEKONK SPEEDWAY

SEEKONK

  Rehoboth, MA's David Darling led the parade of opening night winners at Seekonk Speedway Saturday night, capturing the checkered flag in the 35-lap Pro Stock feature at the 1/3-mile Route 6 oval.  Starting fifth in the 24-car field, the 24-year old Busch North Series veteran withstood six cautions flags to earn his third career win in the Bay State track's top tier NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series class.  Darling's Johnson Landscaping-sponsored #52 Dodge climbed to third when the green waved, trailing outside polesitter Vinnie Annarummo and second generation racer Rob Murray in the early going.

Two minor yellows slowed the battle in the first three laps, pitting Murray alongside Annarummo's Francis Farm #11 Monte Carlo on the restart.  Murray briefly held the advantage in the outside line before Vinnie powered back into the lead.  Using the low groove, Darling took second on lap 8, and waiting for an opportunity to move under Annarummo.  "I was watching him, and I could see he was tight getting off the corner," the third generation racer explained.  "My car was free, and I figured that if I could time it right, I had a good shot of getting by him coming off (turn) two."

[Full Story] 

RAIN HALTS SEEKONK'S OPENING DAY SHOW
SEEKONK

  With the 12^th of 15 scheduled qualifying races already on the track, rain brought a halt to the 59^th annual Opening Day celebration at the NASCAR-sanctioned Seekonk Speedway on Sunday afternoon, May 2.  One-hundred fifty-eight racers from the 1/3-mile oval’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions, twin SYRA classes, and the visiting International Super Modified Association packed the pit area in preparation for the seven feature events before a crowd of several thousand.

Three caution-free 12-lap qualifying heats set the lineup for the 24-car ISMA main, with London , Ontario ’s Mark Sammut cruising to victory in the first event.  Russ Wood of Pelham , NH came from sixth to take the win in the second heat, while Innerkip , Ontario ’s Mike Lichty went pole to checker in the third qualifier.

[Full Story] 
[ISMA Supermodifieds Washed Out at Seekonk]

CRAFTSMAN MECHANIC OF THE YEAR AWARDS HONOR NASCAR DWS CREW MEMBERS
NASCAR DWS

  On weekend nights across the nation, the scene is the same. A crew of friends and family members – unpaid and often unrecognized – spends hours and hours preparing a race car for competition in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. Their duties include everything that could possibly be done to a car, mechanically: adjusting tire pressures, hanging shocks and springs, repairing damaged parts, replacing belts and hoses, or tuning engine and transmission parts. For their tireless efforts, their only moment to share in the spotlight is when their driver reaches the winner’s circle.

Since 1985, NASCAR has honored the men and women who help put race cars on track in the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series another way, with the annual Craftsman Mechanic of the Year awards. The awards are special in two ways – they recognize the behind-the-scenes individuals that work on the race cars to make each week’s competition possible, and they are decided by a vote of NASCAR members.

[Full Story]

SEEKONK'S 59TH ANNUAL OPENING DAY CELEBRATION ON TAP THIS SUNDAY

  The NASCAR-sanctioned Seekonk Speedway will kick off its 59^th annual season this Sunday, May 2, with the return of the International Super Modified Association, the four NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions, and the twin Seekonk Youth Racing Association classes.  The first green flag of the day will wave over the historic 1/3-mile Bay State oval at 1 PM .  Qualifying heats and consolation rounds for all divisions will precede the feature races.

Founder D. Anthony Venditti built the original 1/4-mile track on a piece of his family’s chicken farm and staged the first race before an overflow crowd on May 30, 1946 .  Mr. Venditti was the nation’s oldest auto racing promoter at the time of his passing in 1991.  The Venditti family has owned, operated, and promoted the Route 6 speedway throughout its history.

[Full Story]

SEEKONK SETS OPENING DAY TICKET PRICES, SCHEDULES FINAL PRE-SEASON TEST
SEEKONK

  With the NASCAR-sanctioned Seekonk Speedway set to begin its 59^th annual season next Sunday, May 2, the track has slated its final pre-season test and tune session for Saturday afternoon, May 1, beginning at 12 Noon .  The Route 6 1/3-mile oval also announced that tickets for the Opening Day Celebration will be $25 for adults and $5 for kids from 6 to 12.  Children 5 and under will be admitted free.  A family four-pack, providing admission for two adults and two children from 6 to 12, is $55, a $5 savings.  Pit admission will be $30.

Fans will again be offered free grandstand admission for the Saturday May 1 open practice with pit admission remaining at $15.  Competitors from all Seekonk divisions, as well as the various touring series, are welcome to test between 12 and 4 PM .  Pit gates will open at 10 AM .  Concession stands will not be open during the practice session.

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SEEKONK OPEN PRACTICE CONTINUES THIS SATURDAY
SEEKONK

  With Opening Day less than a month away, Seekonk Speedway will host their second of three schedules open practice sessions at the 1/3-mile Bay State oval this Saturday, April 17.  Pit gates at the Route 6 Seekonk facility will be opened at 10 AM , followed by an 11 AM rookie meeting for all those who were not in attendance last Saturday.  Pit fee for the open practice date is $15.  Hot laps are tentatively scheduled from 12 Noon to 4 PM .  The speedway’s tire distributor and fuel supplier will both be on hand.  Although concession stands will not be open at the test and tune dates, the speedway will continue to offer free grandstand admission for each practice.  The final practice will take place on Saturday, May 1.

Teams competing in Seekonk’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock, Late Model, Sport Truck, and Street Stock classes, as well as the twin Seekonk Youth Racing Association divisions are invited to participate.   The speedway will also welcome outside competitors from other weekly tracks and touring series, including touring racers from the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series, NASCAR Busch North Series, Southern New England Modified Series, Northeastern Midget Association, American-Canadian Tour, and the International Super Modified Association.  Over 100 race teams took part in last Saturday’s practice including NASCAR FMS champion Todd Szegedy.  “There aren’t many other open tests where you can go to a track and test your equipment,” the 27-year old Ridgefield , CT. driver explained.

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NASCAR ANNOUNCES NEW HIRES, EXECUTIVE REORGANIZATION

NASCAR DWS

  The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) announced today a reorganization designed to increase the emphasis on the sanctioning body’s regional touring and weekly competitions, and further develop public relations efforts overall.

Jim Hunter, formerly Vice President of Corporate Communications, has been given the new title of Vice President of Corporate Communications/Regional Touring/NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series. Returning to an area where he has worked earlier in his career, Hunter will work closely with new employee Don Hawk, who has been named Director of Regional Racing Development, and Chris Boals, who remains the Director of Regional Touring/NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series.

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RICHARD NAPIER TO DRIVE #12 TRUCK AT SEEKONK SPEEDWAY
SEEKONK

  Silver Fox Racing announced Tuesday that Richard Napier will drive the #12 Truck at Seekonk Speedway for the 2004 season.  

"This has been a long time coming." said David Arancio, Owner of Silver Fox Racing. "When Richie joined Silver Fox Racing, we knew that he was a seasoned veteran in the street division, but we also realized that if an opportunity came along for us to field another team in another division, Richie was our driver, hands down." 

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RAIN WASHES OUT SEEKONK PRACTICE; SESSION RESCHEDULED FOR THIS SATURDAY
SEEKONK

  Rain washed away the first scheduled test and tune session at Seekonk Speedway last Saturday, forcing speedway management to reschedule the initial practice date for this Saturday, April 10.  Pit gates at the Route 6 Seekonk, MA 1/3-mile oval will be opened at 10 AM , followed by a mandatory meeting for all Seekonk rookies at 11 AM .  Pit fee for the open practice dates is $10.  Hot laps are tentatively scheduled from 12 Noon to 4 PM .  The speedway’s tire distributor and fuel supplier will both be on hand.  Although concession stands will not be open on the track’s three test and tune dates, the speedway is offering free grandstand admission for each practice session.  Additional practices will be held on Saturday, April 17, and Saturday, May 1.

Teams competing in Seekonk’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock, Late Model, Sport Truck, and Street Stock classes, as well as the twin Seekonk Youth Racing Association divisions are invited to participate.   The speedway will also welcome outside competitors from other weekly tracks and touring series, including touring racers from the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series, NASCAR Busch North Series, Southern New England Modified Series, Northeastern Midget Association, American-Canadian Tour, and the International Super Modified Association.

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SEEKONK SPEEDWAY READIES FOR FIRST OPEN PRACTICE THIS SATURDAY

SEEKONK

  In preparation for their 59^th annual season, Seekonk Speedway will hold their first pre-season open practice session at the NASCAR-sanctioned 1/3-mile oval this Saturday, April 3.  Pit gates at the Route 6 Seekonk, MA facility will be opened at 10 AM , followed by a mandatory meeting for all Seekonk rookies at 11 AM .  Pit fee for the open practice dates is $10.  Hot laps are tentatively scheduled from 12 Noon to 4 PM .  The speedway’s tire distributor and fuel supplier will both be on hand.  Although concession stands will not be open on the track’s three test and tune dates, the speedway is offering free grandstand admission for each practice session.  Additional practices will be held on Saturday, April 17, and Saturday, May 1.

Teams competing in Seekonk’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock, Late Model, Sport Truck, and Street Stock divisions, as well as the twin Seekonk Youth Racing Association classes are invited to participate.   Outside competitors from other weekly tracks, including touring racers from the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series, NASCAR Busch North Series, Southern New England Modified Series, Northeastern Midget Association, American-Canadian Tour, and International Super Modified Association are also welcome to attend.

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SEEKONK PRO STOCKS WILL RUN NEW LEFT SIDE RUBBER IN ‘04
SEEKONK

  Seekonk Speedway announced today that a tire change will take place for the 1/3-mile Bay State oval’s NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock division in 2004.  While the 59-year old facility’s top tier class will continue to run American Racer tires from the EC-series, they will adopt one of the softer tires for their left side rubber.  “The change is only with the left side,” Chief Technical Inspector David Alburn explained.  “We will be going to the EC-81 on the left side while remaining with the EC-84 on the right side.”  Previously, the EC-83 tire was mandated on the left.

“We became aware of the EC-81 tire last year when Beech Ridge Speedway in Maine began using them to help facilitate two-groove racing,” Alburn related.   “I’ve heard nothing but praise for these tires.”  Some Seekonk Pro Stock competitors tested the tires last September with primarily favorable results.  “We feel that the tires will be durable, and will allow more side-by-side racing, adding excitement for our fans.”  Dave Lind Racing Tires, the speedway’s tire distributor, is working to have the new EC-81s available for Seekonk’s initial tune and test practice session, slated for Saturday, April 3, at Noon .  Alburn impresses that the track will continue to impose a tire purchasing restriction of two tires per week, with a maximum ten tire inventory to control usage and cost.

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FUNDRAISER FOR SILVER FOX RACING ON MARCH 21ST
SEEKONK

  Silver Fox Racing will be holding a fundraiser to benefit second year driver Wayne Small of Foxboro, Ma and Seekonk Speedway Veteran Richie Napier of Duxbury Ma. The fundraiser will be held at the Ancient Marinere Inn & Lounge 9 Mechanic St., Foxboro, MA 02035 at 1:00pm.

Tickets for the fundraiser can be reserved for $10.00 by emailing Media@silverfoxracing.net or by calling (508) 543-2935. Tickets can also be purchased by visiting the Ancient Marinere Inn & Lounge. Day of event tickets will also be sold.

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SEEKONK BEGINS SPRING TEST AND TUNE PRACTICE SESSIONS APRIL 3
SEEKONK

  In preparation for their 59th annual season, Seekonk Speedway has announced that the first test and tune session of 2004 will take place on Saturday, April 3, beginning at 12 Noon. A mandatory meeting for rookie competitors in the Seekonk Youth Racing Association Apprentice and Journeymen classes will precede the first hot laps of the day at 11 AM. Pit fee for the day will be $10. Concession stands will not be open on the test and tune dates.

Teams competing in the 1/3-mile oval's NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series Pro Stock, Late Model, Sport Truck, and Street Stock divisions are welcome to participate. Outside competitors from other weekly tracks, including touring racers from the NASCAR Featherlite Modified Series, NASCAR Busch North Series, Southern New England Modified Series, Northeastern Midget Association, American-Canadian Tour, and International Super Modified Association are also welcome to participate.

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SEEKONK POSTERS WELCOME IN PROVIDENCE NASCAR IMAX DISPLAY
SEEKONK

  By special arrangement with NASCAR, Seekonk Speedway will be featured in a prominent display at the Providence Place Mall in Rhode Island's Capital City.  The display, which coincides with the new film, NASCAR 3D: The IMAX Experience, will run from March 12 through at least mid-September.

The speedway is currently accepting 20 by 30-inch posters of Seekonk competitors for use in the display.  The posters can be made from victory lane shots, action photos, or a special posed image.  All posters must be purchased through Converse Photo, the speedway's photography service.  For more information, contact them directly at (508)-992-3910 or call the speedway office at (508)-336-9959.  There is no deadline for inclusion in this display.  Give your sponsors a prominent space in the new NASCAR IMAX Seekonk Speedway display!

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TICKET PRICES REMAIN UNCHANGED FOR SEEKONK SPEEDWAY SATURDAYS IN ‘04
SEEKONK

  The NASCAR-sanctioned Seekonk Speedway announced this week that the prices for admission tickets to their regular Saturday night events would stay the same in 2004.  “With so many choices available today, I think it’s very important to keep our Dodge Weekly Racing Series events affordable for the average family,” general manager Francis Venditti explained.  “Therefore, I’m very pleased to announce that the ticket prices for our regular Saturday night shows will remain unchanged for the 2004 season.”

Adult tickets are priced at $12, with children 6 to 12 admitted for just $4.  Kids 5 and under will continue to be admitted free.  Ticket prices at the Route 6 1/3-mile Bay State oval have remained the same for several years.  The facility will kick off their 2004 season on Sunday afternoon, May 2, with the first of two appearances for the International Super Modified Association.  The four NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions, Pro Stock, Late Model, Sport Truck and Street Stock, as well as the twin Seekonk Youth Racing Associations classes, will also be on hand.  The regular Saturday night shows will begin on May 8.

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SEEKONK SPEEDWAY ADDS SECOND SNEM DATE; BEGINS ‘04 REGISTRATIONS
SEEKONK

  The NASCAR-sanctioned Seekonk Speedway announced this week that a second date for the touring Southern New England Modified Series has been scheduled for the 2004 season. The SNEM "Pro Four" Modifieds, previously inked for Saturday, July 14, will also be on hand on Saturday evening, May 29.

The two Southern New England Modified races will be the first for the series at the 1/3-mile Route 6 oval since October, 2001. Wareham, MA's Les Rose, Jr., now a front runner in Seekonk's top tier Pro Stock division, won that event. The SNEM class was created and first competed at Seekonk Speedway in 1978. The following year, they developed into a limited touring division. Currently, the non-profit SNEM boasts over 50 registered owners and drivers throughout New England.

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RATCLIFFE REIGNS AS SEEKONK STREET STOCK CHAMP

Dave Ratcliffe and the #84 Jack's Auto Salvage Chevrolet took home his first Seekonk track title this past season.  On the way, he visited D. Anthony Venditti victory lane on three occasions. 

The Lincoln, RI native entered the sport because it looked like fun.  He built his first race car with an old roll cage.  Ratcliffe had no idea what building a race car entailed but discovered quickly that it takes a lot of work.  Besides his career at the Cement Palace, Ratcliffe has also competed in a Sportsman at Hudson, New Hampshire's quarter mile oval.

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SEEKONK SPEEDWAY ANNOUNCES RETURN OF ALL-STAR RACE TRUCKS IN 2004
SEEKONK

  Coming on the heels of their action-packed appearance at the NASCAR-sanctioned 1/3-mile oval last September, the All-Star Race Trucks Series will be back at Seekonk Speedway in 2004, the facility recently announced. The ARTS tour will visit the Bay State track on Saturday night, June 26. The evening's program will also include the four NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series divisions as well as the twin Seekonk Youth Racing Association classes.

Formerly known as the American Race Truck Series, ARTS is comprised of eight different regions, Dixie, Lone Star, Mid-Atlantic, Midwest, Mountain States, Northeast, and Southwest. They also sanction several national events with drivers from around the country. The rules are set on a national level with an emphasis on keeping all racers on a level playing field. All trucks are designed to compete on asphalt tracks from 1/4 to 3/4-mile in length. The body is composed of fiberglass body panels, which are easily replaced or repaired. The chassis includes the standard components, racing coil springs, and wedge jacking bolts, much like Nextel Cup cars, to allow chassis setup for each race track.

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SEEKONK SPEEDWAY STARS SHINE AT ANNUAL GALA  SEEKONK

  Over a thousand members of the Seekonk Speedway family packed the Venus de Milo Restaurant in Swansea, MA on Saturday night, January 17, to honor the stars of the NASCAR Dodge Weekly Series’ 2003 season.  The 1/3-mile Route 6 oval’s 58^th annual awards banquet and dance, hosted by the founding Venditti family, celebrated feature winners, track champions, and drivers who finished in the top ten in points, among others.

For the second straight year, Bridgewater, MA’s Dick Houlihan took his place at the head table as the Pro Stock division champion.  The 47-year old veteran finished in the top ten in 14 of 16 starts.  Houlihan, who is tied for fifth on Seekonk’s all-time win list with 44 feature victories, will be moving on to test the waters in NASCAR’s Featherlite Modified Series in 2004.

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SEEKONK SPEEDWAY OWNER ENTERS SELECTMAN RACE
SEEKONK

  Race cars will hurtle around his Seekonk Speedway as always, but this year speedway operator Francis Venditti is revving up for another race. He took out nomination papers yesterday to run for a seat on the Board of Selectmen.

Venditti plans to pursue the required 50 voters' signatures to be on the April 5 town election ballot. That would pit him against David Viera, who recently retired after a long career as Seekonk fire chief and vowed to wage a vigorous campaign.

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